Nyack Speeding Lawyer

Speeding tickets are more complicated than mailing in a fine. You will face other costs, even if they are not apparent at the time you are ticketed. Depending on your driving record and how fast you are going, you may accrue points and have your driver’s license suspended or revoked. Along with the fine, there is a surcharge for the courts. Importantly for many people, your insurance rates may also be affected.

Adding to the price tag is the cost of your time. The only way to have any input in your charges is to attend hearings and possibly a trial. If you were recently pulled over for exceeding the speed limit, call a knowledgeable traffic defense attorney. At StolzenbergCortelli, LLP, our Nyack speeding lawyer may be able to get your costs reduced or eliminated if we find errors or inaccuracies in your citation.

New York’s Point System

New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) assigns points to traffic violations and monitors drivers so they can be penalized for accumulating points. Motorists who accrue 11 or more points in 18 months will have their driver’s licenses suspended. Motorists may think twice about pleading guilty and paying a speeding fine because they will have to be extremely careful over the next year-and-a-half not to get more speeding or other misdemeanor traffic tickets.

Insurance Reduction Program

The DMV offers approved defensive driving courses that benefit drivers with points on their records. Completing the six-hour course earns drivers a 10 percent discount on automobile insurance for three years. The DMV will erase four points for any violations occurring in the 18 months prior to completing the course, although the violations or convictions remain on the driver’s record.

Surcharges and Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee

Drivers who accrue six points in 18 months will have to pay a driver responsibility assessment fee on top of fines and surcharges. The assessment fee depends on the number of points racked up in 18 months. The first six points will cost a driver $300, and then $75 for every additional point. New York’s mandatory surcharge is earmarked for the courts hearing traffic cases and is either $93 for village or town courts and $88 for other courts. A Nyack speeding violation attorney from StolzenbergCortelli, LLP could discuss a strategy for dealing with fees and fines.

Speeding Fines in Nyack

Speeding fines are used by many municipalities, counties, and towns to enhance their police budgets. Speeding traps and sting operations are common, while other rules might not seem obvious to the average person, like speeding in a school zone even on a weekend evening. Some maximum fines New York levies for speeding infractions include, but are not limited to:

• Exceeding the state’s 55 mph limit by 31 or more mph draws a $600 fine
• Exceeding a construction zone speed limit by 31 or more mph draws a $600 fine
• Speeding 31 mph or more in a school zone between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on school days draws a fine of $1,200
• Driving slower than the minimum posted speed (excepting dangerous weather conditions or other unique circumstances) draws a fine of $150
• Engaging in a speeding contest with another driver is a fine of $150

Fines will be lower if a motorist is speeding under 31 mph over the speed limit, but they are still expensive with surcharges and assessments tacked on. New York permits insurance companies to raise their rates when a motorist is ticketed at least twice for speeding in 36 months, or ticketed once while speeding at least 16 mph over the speed limit. Consult a Nyack speeding defense lawyer from StolzenbergCortelli, LLP to discuss the ramifications of a particular speeding ticket.

Learn How a Nyack Speeding Attorney Can Help

If you are ticketed for speeding, you will lose more than the cost of the fine. If you do not want to be bothered and send the payment in, you are admitting guilt and will accrue points on your record that could potentially lead to a license suspension.

You need an attorney who will look at the citation, your driving record, and the circumstance of your ticket to advocate for a reduction in fees or a dismissal of your case. Call StolzenbergCortelli, LLP to talk about your situation with a Nyack speeding lawyer.